IAS Preliminary 2010 Solved Paper

1. Which one of the following processes in the bodies of living organisms is a digestive process?(a) Breakdown of proteins into amino acids(b) Breakdown of glucose into CO2 and H2O.(c) Conversion of glucose into glycogen.(d) Conversion of amino acids into proteins.Ans: (a)

2. Excessive release of the pollutant carbon monoxide (CO), into the air may produce a condition in which oxygen supply in the human body decreases. What causes this condition?(a) When inhaled into the human body, CO is converted into CO2.(b) The inhaled CO has much higher affinity for haemoglobin as compared to oxygen.(c) The inhaled CO destroys the chemical structure of haemoglobin.(d) The inhaled CO adversely affects the respiratory centre in the brain.Ans: (b)

3. Examine the following statements:1. All colours are pleasant.2. Some colours are pleasant.3. No colour is pleasant.4. Some colours are not pleasant.Given that the statement 4 is true, what can be definitely concluded?(a) 1 and 2 are true(b) 1 is false(c) 2 is false(d) 3 is trueAns: (b)

5. What was the immediate reason for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India and fight the Third Battle of Panipat?(a) He wanted to avenge the expulsion by Marathas of his victory Timur Shah from Lahore.(b) The frustrated governor of Jullundhar Adina Beg Khan invited him to invade Punjab.(c) He wanted to punish Mughal administration for non – payment of the revenues of the Chahar Mahal (Gujarat, Aurangabad, Sialkot and Pasrur).(d) He wanted to annex all the fertile plains of Punjab up to the borders of Delhi to his kingdom.Ans: (a)

6. In India, the tax proceeds of which one of the following as a percentage of gross tax revenue has significantly declined in the last five years?(a) Service tax(b) Personal income tax(c) Excise duty(d) Corporation taxAns: (c)

7. Which one of the following is the appropriate reason for considering the Gondwana rocks as most important of rock systems of India?(a) More than 90% of limestone reserves of India are found in them.(b) More than 90% of India’s coal reserves are found in them.(c) More than 90% of fertile black cotton soils are spread over them.(d) None of the reasons given above is appropriate in this context.Ans: (b)

8. With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, consider the following:1. The Right to Development.2. The Right to Expression.3. The Right to Recreation.Which of the above is/are the Rights of the child?(a) 1 only(b) 1 and 3 only(c) 2 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3Ans: (d)

9. P, Q, R and S are four men. P is the oldest but not the poorest. R is the richest but not the oldest. Q is older than S but not than P or R. P is richer than Q but not than S. The four men can be ordered (descending) in respect of age and richness, respectively, as:(a) PQRS, RPSQ(b) PRQS, RSPQ(c) PRQS, RSQP(d) PRSQ, RSPQAns: (b)

10. In the context of space technology, what is “Bhuvan”, recently in the news?(a) A mini satellite launched by ISRO for promoting the distance education in India.(b) The name given to the next moon Impact Probe, for Chandrayan – II.(c) A geoportal of ISRO with 3D imaging capabilities of India.(d) A space telescope developed by India.Ans: (c)

11. The diameters of two circular coins are in the ratio of 1 : 3. The smaller coin is made to roll around the bigger coin till it returns to the position from where the process of rolling started. How many times the smaller coin rolled around the bigger coin?(a) 9(b) 6(c) 3(d) 1.5Ans: (c)

12. Among the following, who was not a proponent of bhakti cult?(a) Nagarjuna(b) Tukaram(c) Tyagraja(d) VallabhacharyaAns: (a)

13. As per the UN – Habitat’s Global Report on Human Settlement 2009, which one among the following regions has shown the fastest growth rate of urbanization in the last three decades?(a) Asia(b) Europe(c) Latin America and Caribbean(d) North AmericaAns: (a)

14. Who of the following shall cause every recommendations made by the Finance Commission to be laid before each House of Parliament?(a) The President of India(b) The Speaker of Lok Sabha(c) The Prime Minister of India(d) The Union Finance MinisterAns: (a)

15. By a regulation in 1793, the District Collector was deprived of his judicial powers and made the collecting agent only. What was the reason for such regulation?(a) Lord Cornwallis felt that the District Collector’s efficiency of revenue collection would enormously increase without the burden of other work.(b) Lord Cornwallis felt that Judicial power should compulsorily be in the hands ofEuropeans while Indians can be given the job of revenue collection in the districts.(c) Lord Cornwallis was alarmed at the extent of power concentrated in theDistrict Collector and felt that such absolute power was undesirable in one person.(d) The judicial work demanded a deep knowledge of India and a good training inlaw and Lord Cornwallis felt that District Collector should be only a revenue collector?Ans: (c)

IAS Solved 2010 Paper

1. A great deal of Foreign Direct Investment ( FDI ) to India comes from Mauritius than from many major and mature economics like UK and France. Why?(a). India has preference for certain countries as regards receiving FDI.(b). India has doubled taxation avoidance agreement with Mauritius.(c). Most citizens of Mauritius have ethnic identity with India and so they feel secure to invest India.(d). Impending dangers of global climate change prompt Mauritius to make huge investment in India.Ans: (b)

2. A question paper had ten questions. Each question could only be answered as True (T) or False (F). Each candidate answered all the questions. Yet, no two candidates wrote the answers in an identical sequence. How many different sequences of answers are possible?(a). 20(b). 40(c). 512(d). 1024Ans: (d)

3. Which one of the following was not stipulated in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act , 2003 ?(a). Elimination of revenue deficit by the end of the Fiscal year 2007-2008.(b). Non borrowing by the central government from Reserve Bank of India except under certain Circumstance.(c). Elimination of Primary deficit by the end of the fiscal year 2008-2009.(d). Fixing government Guarantees in any financial year as a percentage of GDP.Ans: (c)

4. With reference to the soil conservation, consider the following practices:1. Crop relation2. Sand fences.3. Terracing4. Wind breaksWhich of the above are considered appropriate methods for soil conservation in India?(a) 1, 2 and 3 only(b) 2 and 4 only(c) 1, 3 and 4 only(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4Ans: (c)

5. Consider the following statements:1. The boundaries of a National Park are defined by legislation.2. A Biosphere Reserve is declared to conserve a few specific species of flora and fauna.3. In a Wildlife Sanctuary, limited biotic interference is permitted. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) 1 only(b) 2 and 3 only(c) 1 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3Ans: (c)

6. Consider the following statements:1. Biodiversity hotspots are located only in tropical regions.2. India has four bio-diversity hotspots i.e. Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas, Western Ghats and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) 1 only(b) 2 only(c) Both 1 and 2(d) Neither 1 nor 2Ans: (d)

7. The SEZ Act, 2005, which came into effect in February 2006 has certain objectives. In this Context, consider the following:1. Development of infrastructure facilities.2. Promotion of investment from foreign sources.3. Promotion of exports of services only.Which of the above are the objectives of this Act?(a) 1 and 2 only(b) 3 only(c) 2 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3Ans: (a)

8. Which of the following terms indicates a mechanism used by commercial banks for providing credit to the government?(a) Cash Credit Ratio(b) Debt Service Obligation(c) Liquidity Adjustment Facility(d) Statutory Liquidity RatioAns: (c)

9. Though coffee and tea both are cultivated on hill slopes, there is some difference between them regarding their cultivation. In this context, consider the following statements:1. Coffee plant requires a hot and humid climate of tropical areas whereas tea can be cultivated in both tropical and subtropical areas.2. Coffee is propagated by seeds but tea is propagated by stem cuttings only.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) 1 only(b) 2 only(c) Both 1 and 2(d) Neither 1 nor 2Ans: (c)

10.With reference to the Lok Adalats, which of the following statements is correct?(a) Lok Adalats have the jurisdiction to settle the matters at pre – litigation stage and not those matters pending before any court.(b) Lok Adalats can deal with matters which are civil and not criminal in nature.(c) Every Lok Adalats consists of either serving or retired judicial officers only and not any other person.(d) None of the statements given above is correct.Ans: (d)

11. Consider the following statements:The Supreme Court of India tenders advice to the President of India on matters of law or fact.1. on its own initiative (on any matter of larger public interest).2. if he seeks such an advice.3. only if the matters relate to the Fundamental Rights of the citizens.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) 1 only(b) 2 only(c) 3(d) 1 and 2Ans: ( b)

12. Genetically modified “golden rice” has been engineered to meet human nutritional requirements. Which one of the following statements best qualifies golden rice?(a) The grains have been fortified with genes to provide three times higher grain yield per acre than other high yielding varieties.(b) Its grains contain pro – vitamin A which upon ingestion is converted to vitamin A in the human body.(c) Its modified genes cause the synthesis of all the nine essential amino acids.(d) Its modified genes cause the fortifications of its grains with vitamin D.Ans: (b)

13. A cuboid has six sides of different colours. The red side is opposite to black. The blue side is adjacent to white. The brown side is adjacent to blue. The red side is face down. Whichone of the following would be the opposite to brown?(a) Red(b) Black(c) White(d) BlueAns: (c)

14. A new type of El Nino called El Nino Modoki appeared in the news, In this context, consider the following statements:1. Normal El Nino forms in the Central Pacific ocean whereas El Nino Modoki forms in Eastern Pacific ocean.2. Normal El Nino results in diminished hurricanes in the Atlantic ocean but El Nino Modoki results in a greater number of hurricanes with greater frequency.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) 1 only(b) 2 only(c) Both 1 and 2(d) Neither 1 nor 2Ans: (b)

15. If a potato is placed on a pure paper plate which is white and unprinted and put in a microwave oven, the potato heats up but the paper plate does not. This is because :(a) Potato is mainly made up of starch whereas paper is mainly made up of cellulose.(b) Potato transmits microwaves whereas paper reflects microwaves.(c) Potato contains water whereas paper does not contain water.(d) Potato is a fresh organic material whereas paper is a dead organic material.Ans: (b)